The present invention relates to improved atherectomy catheter devices.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,186 there are disclosed flexible atherectomy catheters which are used to excise lesions in arterial vessels. Each of these catheters include a window which is positioned in facing relationship to the lesion. A balloon is located on the catheter in diameterically opposed relationship to the window to force the catheter toward the lesion and thus cause it to enter the window. Thereafter, a blade within the catheter is passed axially by the window to excise the lesion within the catheter. However, the window portion of the catheter is not flexible so as to permit it conform to the curvature of an artery.